NORTH CAROLINA SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS: North Carolina Offshore and Inshore Fishing: Updated September 21, 2012

The billfish are making their showing and the bite is on! Anglers have been taking advantage of the great billfish action. There have also been good catches of white marlin, Taylor blues and Spanish macks with an occasional false albacore; they are super fast, giving anglers a run for their money. Also, the grey trout seem to be making a comeback, hopefully their numbers will continue to grow.
(Photo: Courtesy of TW’s Bait & Tackle. Pictured are Justin Stewart, Nathan Pruit, Carey Foster (all from TW's) and Patrick King, Wings and Ben who all caught awesome catches of red snapper, grouper, triggers and a released sailfish. Eleven citations in one trip.)
http://www.twstackle.com/report.php?...&reportid=1081

Tournaments:


September 1 – December 31, 2012
CHASIN’ TAILS OUTDOORS SPECKLED TROUT CHALLENGE
Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, Atlantic Beach, NC
Contact: Matt Lamb (252) 240-3474
www.chasintailsoutdoors.com

September 21 – 23, 2012
NEWBRIDGE BANK WILD KING CLASSIC (23 and under)
Wild Wing Cafe/Seapath Marina, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Contact: Mike Clark (910) 512-3637 or Dane Waggett (910) 279-1990
www.fishermanspost.com

September 22 – October 6, 2012
FLOUNDER SURF FISHING TOURNAMENT
The Reel Outdoors, Emerald Isle, NC
Contact: Laurie Morris (252) 354-6350
www.emeraldisle-nc.org/eiprd

September 29 – 30, 2012
CAROLINA FALL KING CHALLENGE
Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Johnny Mercer’s, Oak Island, Cherry Grove Piers
Contact: Max Weavil (910) 538-0115
www.southeasternkingmackerelclub.com

TW’s Bait and Tackle Reports the following:


Surf Fishing Report:
Blues, Sea Mullet and Croakers.
Water temp is 75 with NW winds.

Sound Fishing Report:
The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported Trout, Black Drum and Croaker.

Pier Fishing Report:
Avalon: Lots of Spanish macks, Blues, Trout and Drum.
Nags Head: No report.
Jennette’s: Spot, Pompano, Drum and Blues.
Outer Banks: Sea Mullet, Puppy Drum and pompano.

Inshore Boats Report:
Inshore boats caught Trout and Puppy Drum. The near shore boats decked Bluefish, Trout, Spanish macks and a 35 pound Drum.

Offshore Boats Report:
The inshore boats stayed in yesterday due to high winds.

Northern North Carolina Tidal Waters Fishing Reports (Ocracoke Inlet to Surf City)
Summary for the region from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries:

Ocean: Offshore fishermen had moderate catches of wahoo, along with a few dolphin, amberjack, skipjack, little tunny, blackfin and yellowfin tuna. Billfish catches were plentiful with releases of sailfish and blue and white marlin. Midrange anglers caught a few, large red drum two to three miles offshore between Oregon Inlet and the Virginia line. They also caught striped bass. Anglers fishing in the Gulf Stream landed a few king mackerel from in the eight- to 10-mile range. Near-shore fishing was limited due to rough seas, but nice catches of both bluefish and Spanish mackerel were reported, as well as a few croaker, spot and undersize red drum.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Anglers continued to target spotted sea trout and flounder. Shallow water areas at Oregon Inlet yielded most of the flounder catches. Anglers targeting spotted sea trout had success at Oregon Inlet's Green Island Slough and in Roanoke Sound. Most of the catches came in the early morning hours and before nightfall. Anglers fishing inside the Oregon Inlet Bridge caught Spanish mackerel and bluefish occasionally, along with endless amounts of small, undersize red drum. The Oregon Inlet bridge pilings continued to offer sheepshead, black drum, spadefish and needlefish.

Piers/Beaches: Pier and beach anglers caught a variety of species, including pompano, spot, kingfish and undersize red drum. Some croaker, pigfish, pinfish, silver perch, flounder, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, puffer, striped burrfish, black drum, sheepshead, lizardfish, sea robins, weakfish, spotted sea trout, skates, stingrays and assorted sharks were also caught.

Central North Carolina Tidal Waters Fishing Reports (Ocracoke Inlet to Surf City)
Summary for the region from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries:


Ocean: Large wahoo catches were plentiful with many weighing 20 pounds or more. A few dolphin, barracuda, and skipjack tuna were landed as well. Sailfish hookups were impressive, and several boats released multiple fish per trip. Near-shore fishing produced Spanish mackerel in good numbers near Cape Lookout and Atlantic Beach. King mackerel were not as plentiful; however anglers reported their best luck on the east side and along Lookout Shoals. Head boats and bottom anglers reported great catches of large vermilion snapper, gag grouper, scamp, red porgies, triggerfish, bigeye, blueline tilefish, amberjack and many red snapper.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Flounder fishing in the sounds produced many keeper-sized flounder, and many more lizardfish. The flounder, lizardfish, and red drum were caught best on live mullet using a Carolina rig and fished near structures, with the largest catches coming around docks and the Morehead City port wall. Sheepshead were biting on fiddler crabs or sea urchins, fished with strong leader material along the Atlantic Beach Bridge and at the N.C. State Port. Sea mullet and croaker were landed on bottom rigs in the inlets and in Bogue sound.

Piers/Shore: Pier and shore fishing produced catches of black drum, pompano, red drum, sea mullet, spot, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and flounder.

Southern North Carolina Tidal Waters Fishing Reports (Surf City to North Carolina line)
Summary for the region from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries:

Ocean: Offshore anglers targeting bottom fish caught limits of vermilion snapper, gray triggerfish, and red porgies along with a few of red, gag, and scamp groupers. Near-shore reefs produced catches of flounder along with over the slot red drum. The National Marine Fisheries Service will continue a mini-season on red snapper for the three-day weekend beginning Sept. 21.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Anglers fishing the Cape Fear River from Snows cut to Southport and the Little River Rock Jetty were catching red drum, flounder and spotted sea trout. Float fishing live shrimp produced red drum and trout and Carolina rigged finger mullet caught the flounder. Sheepshead and black drum were caught along area rock jetties, bridge pilings and docks.

Piers/Shore: Anglers fishing on Pender County piers reported catching pompano. At other piers, anglers reported nice numbers of sea mullet and bluefish. Flounder, spotted sea trout, and red drum were also caught by using either live shrimp or live mullet for bait. Beach and bank anglers had good catches of pompano, along with nice numbers of slot-size red drum.